Adopting a pet is a big decision and not something that should be done on a whim. The decision needs to be thought through, discussed with family, roommates, future partners, and then thought through again. Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself:
Am I ready for a long-term commitment?
This will be a 15-year commitment for you, so please think it through.If you can't think that far into the future, then this is not the right time for you to adopt a pet. Try fostering instead!
Life events like job change, marriage, moving houses, moving to another city/country, having a baby etc. should be considered carefully, and you should be able to commit that the pet will stay with you through any of these events.
Am I financially ready and able to care for a cat?
You will need to spend on cat food and litter, and expenses related to vaccinations and regular health check-ups - these are recurring expenses. Toys, brush, a crate for transportation - these are some one-time expenses. Spay/neuter surgery is another one time expense when the cat is six months old. Other than this, there could be unplanned health or travel expenses which cannot really be predicted.
Are all members of my home/family eager, happy, excited to adopt a pet?
A pet becomes part of your home and family, and so the entire household and family needs to be in agreement to adopt it. Husband, wife, parents, in-laws, future partners, roommates - all of them. No one should be forced to agree to the adoption because it will prove difficult to maintain peace in the house later. Both the pet and the family will suffer. Talk to every member of your family/home before adopting.
Is a cat best suited for your lifestyle?
How much time will you be able to spend with the pet (play, love and attention)? Despite being known as aloof creatures, cats love cuddles and affection and play sessions. You must be able to spend quality time with your cat, with half an hour play sessions at least twice a day.
Do you travel regularly? If yes, would it be right for the pet to be left alone or at a boarding so often and for so long?
Do you have a stable living situation? The cat is going to become your dependent, so stability matters.
Is your place big enough for a cat? If you live in a hostel, or in a house where you have only a single room, it might be too small a space for a cat to grow up.
Will you be able to keep the cat indoors? If you have one of those houses with multiple doors and open windows all the time, you cat faces the risks of wandering out and getting lost or injured. Some people do keep cats as indoor-outdoor, but that also requires a safe neighbourhood and some training (I'll do a separate post on this). I personally recommend keeping a cat fully indoors.
When your family travels, who will take care of the cat? Do you have trusted options? Do you know which veterinarian you will take the cat to?
Am I ready to spay/neuter your cat?
I'll do a separate post on this later, but when you adopt a rescue animal, it's just logical to spay/neuter to make sure it doesn't have kittens. Spaying and neutering your pets is a sensible, logical and even humane thing to do.
Do I already have a pet dog or a cat?
If you have other pets (cats or dogs), are you confident they will accept a new cat into the household? This is very specific to the personality of your existing pet, and you must think this through so that the new pet is a positive addition to your family. How has your existing pet behaved with new animals before? Will you be able to give equal time and attention to both your pets now? Will you have the time and patience and put in the effort needed to introduce and socialise your new pet to your older one?
Kids and pets?
If there are children in your family, then you must supervise their interaction with the kitten/cat until both are comfortable with each other and you are confident that neither can hurt the other. This may take weeks, but is very very important to be patient and observant. Talk to your child about the pet, the dos and don'ts, how to approach it and pet it. A pet can become the best friend your child has, teach them compassion and kindness and responsibility - if both are guided the right way.
Am I willing to deal with damaged furniture and some messes?
Cats typically scratch furniture, cushions or curtains. It's in their nature. You will need to cat-proof your house, which could mean putting away some of your favourite but fragile showpieces. My two cats regularly put holes in my bed sheets. Having a pet cat comes with some amount of wear and tear to your house, and you should be prepared for that. If your furniture is more important, then adopting a cat is not for you.
Am I or anyone in my house allergic to cats?
An allergy is a physical reaction, either sneezing, coughing, difficulty breathing, rashes, etc. if you come into contact with cats or cat fur. There are various treatments available for these allergies as well, so if you or any family member is actually allergic, please research more into this before deciding to adopt.
I must note here that many, many people actually just are scared of cats, don't like them or find them annoying - and term this as an allergy. For the benefit of those, I repeat, an allergy is a physical reaction.
And finally, here are some reasons that are not good enough for adopting a pet:
- To gift it to someone - this is almost always a bad idea for the pet involved. The person who will be the primary caretaker should make the decision to adopt the pet.
- To distract my child from watching too much TV - while a pet can be a wonderful companion for a child, can teach compassion, kindness and responsibility, a pet cannot do the parenting for you. Teaching the right things to your child and your pet is your responsibility. If you want to distract your kid, buy him or her a toy.
- As a mate for your existing cat - there are already way too many homeless cats and kittens around, please don't consciously bring more into the world!
Having a pet can be therapeutic, and can be a great distraction from life's problems. Pets make one happy and calm and peaceful. While it's a perfectly reasonable thing to want the companionship of a cat when you're living alone or going through a rough phase, please keep in mind the time and effort that will go into taking care of it. You must not compromise the quality of life of the pet for the sake of your needs. You would be taking responsibility for another life, and you must be sure you can do justice to that.
Happy adopting!
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| Gorgeous girls June and August, currently up for adoption! |
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